The Recruiting Guy

Recruiting Thursday: Defensive end Mataio Soli discusses top 3

Junior and Mataio Soli

Defensive end Mataio Soli joined Recruiting Thursday to talk about his top three schools and what's next going forward.

Arkansas, Florida and Auburn are the finalists for the talented prospect.

Soli, 6-3, 227 pounds, from Douglasville (Ga.) Douglas County has offers from schools like Arkansas, Auburn, Alabama, Florida State, Florida, Oregon, Stanford, Virginia, Vanderbilt and others.His father Junior Soli made All-SEC in 1995 while helping the Hogs to the SEC championship game against Florida.

He and his family visited the Razorbacks in April. They plan to return for an official visit on June 7-9.

Soli plans to make an unofficial visit to Florida his weekend and officially visit Auburn on June 15 and is looking to set a date for an official visit to the Gators. His mother, Karen, is from Sparkman and is an Arkansas graduate.

Family in Arkansas:

"A lot of them was excited that I put Arkansas in my top three schools. They were happy because most of my family is Arkansas fans."

Why Arkansas:

"Coach Morris, Coach Scott and Coach Caldwell. I'm always in contact with them. They're always texting me and talk to me. They're always keeping up with me and seeing how I'm playing and stuff. I love them, They're great to me. They're truthful to me. They don't beat around the bush. I can see Arkansas doing a lot of big things these upcoming years with the new staff and with what coach Morris is building out there in Fayetteville."

Happiest family members in Arkansas about his top three:

"It was probably my cousin Josh or if he knew it probably be my granddad. Both of them would probably be jumping all over the place."

"There's a lot of my family that wants me to go to Arkansas."